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Dave Portnoy is in the public eye on the daily.
There is one thing for certain about Dave/ #ddtg/El Presidente/and whatever name comes next…. his story is so fascinating.
Unapologetically himself and never going back, here is the story of @stoolpresidente up until now
There is one thing for certain about Dave/ #ddtg/El Presidente/and whatever name comes next…. his story is so fascinating.
Unapologetically himself and never going back, here is the story of @stoolpresidente up until now
1/
Dave grew up in Swampscott, MA.
One of his classmates was ESPNS's Todd McShay.
They were actually born in the same hospital on the same day in 1977.
Dave grew up in Swampscott, MA.
One of his classmates was ESPNS's Todd McShay.
They were actually born in the same hospital on the same day in 1977.
2/
Dave loved baseball growing up.
He even won the Junior League Massachusetts Championship with his friends in 1990.
He was a killer football player too.
To top it off, he was a "perfect child" growing up with no drinking, drugs, or craziness to his life as a young teenager.
Dave loved baseball growing up.
He even won the Junior League Massachusetts Championship with his friends in 1990.
He was a killer football player too.
To top it off, he was a "perfect child" growing up with no drinking, drugs, or craziness to his life as a young teenager.
3/
His dad, Michael, said in a Barstool Documentary, “He is basically the same kid that he was when he was 10-11 years old.”
When high school came around for Dave, he became a 4-year varsity baseball player at Swampscott High School – only losing 3 games In his whole career.
His dad, Michael, said in a Barstool Documentary, “He is basically the same kid that he was when he was 10-11 years old.”
When high school came around for Dave, he became a 4-year varsity baseball player at Swampscott High School – only losing 3 games In his whole career.
4/
Although, he got scholarships for baseball, he went to University of Michigan in 1995, graduating with a degree in education.
While at U of M, he started the http://gamblingman.com – he was heavily into gambling from that point on.
Although, he got scholarships for baseball, he went to University of Michigan in 1995, graduating with a degree in education.
While at U of M, he started the http://gamblingman.com – he was heavily into gambling from that point on.
5/
Following graduation in 1999, Portnoy moved to Boston and began working at Yankee Group, an IT market research firm.
Following graduation in 1999, Portnoy moved to Boston and began working at Yankee Group, an IT market research firm.
6/
After 4 years at the Yankee Group, Dave left to begin what would eventually become Barstool Sports.
But before Barstool Sports, he started and tried his way at 2 things:
After 4 years at the Yankee Group, Dave left to begin what would eventually become Barstool Sports.
But before Barstool Sports, he started and tried his way at 2 things:
6.5/
Next Step scouting – which would match lower tier athletes to coaches looking to fill spots with sports.
Furniture company – to warehouse furniture that college students would throw out after graduating and such.
Next Step scouting – which would match lower tier athletes to coaches looking to fill spots with sports.
Furniture company – to warehouse furniture that college students would throw out after graduating and such.
7/
When Dave started Barstool, his parents gave him their saved graduate school money to invest into the first of Barstool newspapers – at a time when the newspaper business was dying.
Dave bought news racks and put them all over Boston.
When Dave started Barstool, his parents gave him their saved graduate school money to invest into the first of Barstool newspapers – at a time when the newspaper business was dying.
Dave bought news racks and put them all over Boston.
8/
His greatest investment at the time too: an extremely old and broken down Astrovan to get around the area and distribute the newspapers.
Like this
His greatest investment at the time too: an extremely old and broken down Astrovan to get around the area and distribute the newspapers.
Like this
9/
Dave used ads and his gambling picks as part of the ways to make up the margins of the newspaper.
He used pseudonyms in order to make it seem like he wasn’t the only one running Barstool.
Todd McShay, his friend, “literally thought he was going to go bankrupt” at the time.
Dave used ads and his gambling picks as part of the ways to make up the margins of the newspaper.
He used pseudonyms in order to make it seem like he wasn’t the only one running Barstool.
Todd McShay, his friend, “literally thought he was going to go bankrupt” at the time.
9.5/
The bootstrapping was endless in the early @barstoolsports days. Around this time, Barstool sold t-shirts and counted the sold ones in weekly editions of the newspaper.
Barstool even had a spot on Boston’s 1510 “The Zone”.
No one listened at the time. Maybe a dozen people
The bootstrapping was endless in the early @barstoolsports days. Around this time, Barstool sold t-shirts and counted the sold ones in weekly editions of the newspaper.
Barstool even had a spot on Boston’s 1510 “The Zone”.
No one listened at the time. Maybe a dozen people
10/
Eventually picking up some steam through persistence, Dave hired 4 editors to write for free for the Barstool newspaper – all using used pseudonyms and fake names just as Dave did.
Gotta do what you gotta do sometimes
Eventually picking up some steam through persistence, Dave hired 4 editors to write for free for the Barstool newspaper – all using used pseudonyms and fake names just as Dave did.
Gotta do what you gotta do sometimes
11/
An unbelievable part of this journey is this part though:
In order to distribute the newspapers beyond just using newspaper racks, Dave had a partner company, LaborReady, help him.
An unbelievable part of this journey is this part though:
In order to distribute the newspapers beyond just using newspaper racks, Dave had a partner company, LaborReady, help him.
11.5/
The thing is.... LaborReady consisted mostly of people experiencing homelessness.
And they would just hand out and distribute newspapers in the Boston area under Barstool.
It didn’t last long, but it's incredible.
Later, Barstool swapped help from LaborReady to models.
The thing is.... LaborReady consisted mostly of people experiencing homelessness.
And they would just hand out and distribute newspapers in the Boston area under Barstool.
It didn’t last long, but it's incredible.
Later, Barstool swapped help from LaborReady to models.
12/
Around this time, the financials of Barstool started to get tight, so Dave got a job.
That lasted a week or two before he quit the job completely.
Even Dave’s closest family and friends all preached about how much he hated the job and wanted to go all in on Barstool.
Around this time, the financials of Barstool started to get tight, so Dave got a job.
That lasted a week or two before he quit the job completely.
Even Dave’s closest family and friends all preached about how much he hated the job and wanted to go all in on Barstool.
12.5/
It got real desperate at times, but nothing ever stopped Dave and his vision for Barstool.
Things got so tight at one point that Dave used to play “Party Poker” online in order to make money for him and his then girlfriend, Renee.
It got real desperate at times, but nothing ever stopped Dave and his vision for Barstool.
Things got so tight at one point that Dave used to play “Party Poker” online in order to make money for him and his then girlfriend, Renee.
13/
Things needed to ramp up fast.....
So, around this time in Nov 2004, Dave got his friend to take pictures of models to add to the front cover of the Barstool newspaper.
This is where they struck some gold and garnered more attention in the Boston area – majority males.
Things needed to ramp up fast.....
So, around this time in Nov 2004, Dave got his friend to take pictures of models to add to the front cover of the Barstool newspaper.
This is where they struck some gold and garnered more attention in the Boston area – majority males.
14/
With more advertising at this time as well, Barstool hosted events for “stoolies” to get together and meet the writers of Barstool Sports.
Barely anyone showed up at first, but after each subsequent event there were hundreds of people showing up.
With more advertising at this time as well, Barstool hosted events for “stoolies” to get together and meet the writers of Barstool Sports.
Barely anyone showed up at first, but after each subsequent event there were hundreds of people showing up.
15/
Referencing the above point Dave said, “That’s how we kind of survived early [on with Barstool].”
![15/Referencing the above point Dave said, “That’s how we kind of survived early [on with Barstool].”](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Es7en6qXMAUWX2N.jpg "15/Referencing the above point Dave said, “That’s how we kind of survived early [on with Barstool].”")
Referencing the above point Dave said, “That’s how we kind of survived early [on with Barstool].”
16/
In order to not make this the longest thread on Twitter ever, because Dave and Barstool’s journey is so amazingly fascinating, here is the rest of it.....
In order to not make this the longest thread on Twitter ever, because Dave and Barstool’s journey is so amazingly fascinating, here is the rest of it.....
17/
With some time passing, and me skipping some events, let’s go to 2013....
This is when Dave was gaining popularity on an individual level and since that was happening he launched a campaign to become the Mayor of Boston following the retirement of Thomas Menino.
With some time passing, and me skipping some events, let’s go to 2013....
This is when Dave was gaining popularity on an individual level and since that was happening he launched a campaign to become the Mayor of Boston following the retirement of Thomas Menino.
17.5/
After raising over $17,000 in campaign contributions, he failed to submit enough nomination signatures to qualify for the election.
Unsuccessful, but funny nonetheless.
After raising over $17,000 in campaign contributions, he failed to submit enough nomination signatures to qualify for the election.
Unsuccessful, but funny nonetheless.
18/
And since all press is good press when in Dave’s lap, he got into a huge fight with the NFL in 2015 where he had a rebellion against Roger Goddell and Deflategate
Even being banned from attending Super Bowl LIII after he created fake passes to attend a press event the day b4
And since all press is good press when in Dave’s lap, he got into a huge fight with the NFL in 2015 where he had a rebellion against Roger Goddell and Deflategate
Even being banned from attending Super Bowl LIII after he created fake passes to attend a press event the day b4
19/
Fast forward to a huge day in the history of Dave’s life and Barstool Sports journey, on January 7, 2016, Dave announced The Chernin Group had purchased a majority stake of Barstool and the Barstool HQ would be moving to New York City.
Fast forward to a huge day in the history of Dave’s life and Barstool Sports journey, on January 7, 2016, Dave announced The Chernin Group had purchased a majority stake of Barstool and the Barstool HQ would be moving to New York City.
20/
As mentioned, Dave has many personalities, one of which is Davey Pageviews, where he does “One Bite” Pizza reviews at different pizza restaurants.
Dave’s goal was to review every pizza place in Manhattan in 2017 and actually had many celebrities/athletes joined in on the fun
As mentioned, Dave has many personalities, one of which is Davey Pageviews, where he does “One Bite” Pizza reviews at different pizza restaurants.
Dave’s goal was to review every pizza place in Manhattan in 2017 and actually had many celebrities/athletes joined in on the fun
21/
If you want to check out what happened in the time span of 2017-2019, check out this episode of the Barstool Documentary Series: https://www.barstoolsports.com/gold/video/2257814/the-barstool-documentary-series-or-chapter-15-new-york-new-york
If you want to check out what happened in the time span of 2017-2019, check out this episode of the Barstool Documentary Series: https://www.barstoolsports.com/gold/video/2257814/the-barstool-documentary-series-or-chapter-15-new-york-new-york
22/
Making it to 2020 in this story, this is when Penn National Gaming enters into the picture.
Along with having The Chernin Group own a stake in Barstool, PENN purchased a 36% stake in Barstool Sports for $163 million.
Making it to 2020 in this story, this is when Penn National Gaming enters into the picture.
Along with having The Chernin Group own a stake in Barstool, PENN purchased a 36% stake in Barstool Sports for $163 million.
23/
As many of you might know, Dave interviewed Donald Trump at the White House last year too – adding more momentum and eyeballs to Dave and Barstool Sports.
As many of you might know, Dave interviewed Donald Trump at the White House last year too – adding more momentum and eyeballs to Dave and Barstool Sports.
24/
Along with his real name fame, he started day trading as Davey Day Trader and live-streaming most days of the week during 2020, which he still does now, especially as things are heating up with online brokerages (like Robinhood) and short sellers at many hedge funds.
Along with his real name fame, he started day trading as Davey Day Trader and live-streaming most days of the week during 2020, which he still does now, especially as things are heating up with online brokerages (like Robinhood) and short sellers at many hedge funds.
25/
20 is my favorite number, but since we passed it, I’ll end it here and direct you to the username of Dave himself - @stoolpresidente
Follow him now and witness his continued journey as him, Erika Nardini (now CEO), and his team take Barstool/Penn National Gaming to the moon
20 is my favorite number, but since we passed it, I’ll end it here and direct you to the username of Dave himself - @stoolpresidente
Follow him now and witness his continued journey as him, Erika Nardini (now CEO), and his team take Barstool/Penn National Gaming to the moon
